Cherenkov reactor power meter: Development of an innovative and cost-effective technique for reactor power monitoring

This study investigates the development and application of a Cherenkov power meter as an innovative alternative for the power monitoring of nuclear reactors. The Cherenkov power meter, which utilizes the intensity of Cherenkov light to measure reactor power, was designed to be used alongside conventional nuclear instrumentation. The power meter was tested in both steady-state and pulsed reactor operation, showing its best performance in pulsed measurements. Excellent agreement of the pulse parameters such as full width at half maximum, peak power and released energy with conventional nuclear instrumentation and the theoretical model was demonstrated. The developed Cherenkov power meter outperforms the implemented solution in the case of low nuclear reactor pulses. The accuracy and consistency of the Cherenkov power meter over a wide range of pulse intensities make it a promising tool for monitoring fast transient reactor power. This development offers a robust, cost-effective alternative to commonly used reactor instrumentation.